Last week saw the partial destruction of a Naperville, IL home due to fire
that lit in an accumulation of dryer lint beneath the clothes dryer. Thankfully, the fire was doused in a speedy manner and no loss of life was suffered. Only about $5,000 in damage was done to the property, most of which was to the basement where the dryer was found. These homeowners were lucky.
The appearance of this article brought home safety and fire protection to my mind ... so here's a bit of information for you to know regarding the specific issues of clothes dryers and dryer lint/lint trap cleaning and safety.
According to a FEMA, US Fire Administration/US Dept. of Homeland Security article entitled, "Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings", the following is true ...
- Clothes dryer fire accounts for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 400 injuries annually
- 80% of clothes dryer fires in structures occur in residential buildings
- Annually, 12,700 clothes dryer fires occur in residential building resulting in 15 deaths and 300 injuries
- "Failure to Clean" is the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings
- New home construction trends place clothes dryers and washing machines in more hazardous locations away from outside walls such as bedrooms, 2nd-floor hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens
Suggestions to prevent clothes dryer fires are below:
- Never put synthetic materials such as rubber, plastic, foam, or pieces of cloth that have been used to sponge up flammable liquids in the dryer, even if they have previously been washed
- Clean the lint out of the exhaust pipe and the rear of the clothes dryer regularly
- Inspect your lint filter for rips each time you use it. If you see rips .. replace it immediately
- The exhaust pipe should be as short as possible and have limited bends to allow for adequate airflow
- The American Household Appliance Manufacturers Assoc. (AHAM) recommends the use of UL-listed rigid aluminum or steel duct or spiral-wound aluminum flex hose. Not White Vinyl Hose
- Never let your clothes dryer run while you are out of the house or asleep
- Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional annually to ensure that the gas line and connection at intact
I had read that repairmen recommended cleaning the lint trap itself with a little soap and water fairly often to increase the drying/heating efficiency of the clothes dryer ... but also to lengthen the life-expectancy of the appliance itself. Was that true? Was that advice sound? I decided to check with Snopes.com...
Yes! Snopes.com found in 2005 that this was indeed true. A little bit of extra care and cleaning could extend the life of your clothes dryer!
What Snopes.com stated was ... "Just removing the lint from the filter isn't always enough -- the fine mesh of most dryer filters can be clogged in ways that aren't obvious at a casual glance. As suggested, (by repairmen), softener sheets can cause waxy build-ups on lint screens that require a little extra effort -- usually no more than a quick scrub and rinse in warm, soapy water -- to remove".
Take these precautions in your own home. Do not suffer the fate of the Naperville homeowners mentioned above. Clean your clothes dryer, lint trap, and the areas beneath and around your clothes dryer often to remain safe and alive ...
* Should you wish referrals for home services, or be in need of mortgage, credit, or financial planning advice and service ... please do not hesitate to contact me immediately. I will be happy to hear from you and then work together towards improving and securing your financial and mortgage health.
Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331 Email: gene@chicagobancorp.com
Website: http://www.genemundt.com/
Website Contact Form: http://www.genemundt.com/Contact-Info.html
Comments(12)